The members of the Business Events Council of Australia (BECA) has unanimously voted to deregister the organisation at a special general meeting as the majority of the members indicated their preference to support the newly-formed Australian Business Events Association at the onset of the new financial year in July 2023.
As a result of this vote, BECA will cease operations within that aforementioned period. However, it will continue to represent the business events industry to federal government and help operationalise the $2 million Business Events Economic Contribution project with Tourism Research Australia until it ceases operations.
“In its 30 years as the peak body for business events, BECA has built a stellar list of achievements; it has been the unified voice in the industry’s advocacy to government and has been the key driver of the industry’s vital research studies to demonstrate the size and scope of the sector,” BECA Chair, Dr Leo Jago, said. “BECA has made these achievements despite its limited resources; it has punched well above its weight.”
The development is the latest in relation to the state of the Australian business events industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic which heavily impacted the industry. And while BECA worked hard for the industry’s welfare, including lobbying the Federal Government for JobKeeper for the industry and the establishment of the Business Events Grants Program, there were also calls towards a reassessment BECA’s current structure and operations, which ultimately led to the formation of the Australian Business Events Association.
“The global pandemic challenged Australia’s business events industry and highlighted the need for a well-resourced peak body to foster the growth of business events via a focus on research, advocacy, and professional development,” Jago said. “BECA and its many achievements provides a solid platform upon which a new and better-resourced peak body will support business events in the decades to come. BECA’s legacy will live on.”
